Event Details

On Monday 5th of June, 7 – 10pm, we will kick off Lancaster University Library's celebration of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month with an evening of films and stimulating discussion...

On Monday 5th of June, 7 – 10pm, we will kick off Lancaster University Library's celebration of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month with an evening of films and stimulating discussion. We will have two guest speakers for the evening.

Bill Lloyd is a musician and Traveller rights activist who lives near Kendal. He is Secretary of the Appleby Fair Hill Committee. Bill will talk to us about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller histories and cultures, and also play us a few tunes. He will discuss the threats faced by a way of life that can trace its European history back to the turn of the second millennium, the ways in which these communities are meeting these challenges, and the extent to which an apparent anti-Traveller agenda is driven by bigotry and intolerance.

Tom Lloyd is the owner of Fell Pony Adventures, who take groups on wild camping treks with pack ponies to hidden corners of the lake District. Since taking over the Hades Hill herd of Fell ponies from his father Walter Lloyd in 1995, Tom has travelled the length of the country and back with his ponies and has spent half his life living under canvas. He is also a filmmaker and has produced and directed two award-winning films about Traveller life: the documentary Romany Rai; and a short, lyrical meditation about life on the road, Live Before You Die (total runtime: 70 mins. approx.). We will ask Tom to introduce the films and take questions afterwards.